At the conclusion of the 2024 Formula One season, Lewis Hamilton will depart from Mercedes and join Ferrari; Carlos Sainz will be the unlucky byproduct of the Scuderia’s significant coup.
Despite Lewis Hamilton replacing Carlos Sainz, former Ferrari star Jean Alesi believes the Spaniard’s dismissal was “undeserved.”
This upcoming season will mark Sainz’s fourth year driving for Ferrari. Additionally, it was once thought that since he and teammate Charles Leclerc had contracts expiring at the end of this year, he would probably receive a new extension during the winter. However, Leclerc signed a new contract last month, and Sainz’s future was kept under wraps on the radio.
Furthermore, it was confirmed last week that Hamilton will not be retained when it was revealed he would be joining the Scuderia after leaving Mercedes at the end of the season. In a statement posted on social media, Sainz himself made the announcement. “I will be leaving Scuderia Ferrari at the end of 2024, in response to today’s news. We still have a long season ahead of us, and I will give the team and the Tifosi everywhere my all, just like I always do,” the 29-year-old wrote.
“News about my future will be announced in due course,” he told the crowd after that. However, there was not a single mention of Sainz in Ferrari’s brief statement upon announcing they had signed Hamilton for the 2025 season.
Alesi, who raced for Ferrari for five years in the 1990s and gained popularity among the team’s supporters, believes the Spaniard has been treated unfairly. He told Corriere della Sera, “I would say that Carlos Sainz’s performance and attitude in recent years have been more than positive, even surprising.”
“Strong and equitable discipline, competitiveness, and results. A real gentleman of motorsports who finds himself in an awkward and unjust situation right now. Given his skill and the notoriety he has earned from racing beside Leclerc, I have no doubt that he will find new opportunities to stay on the grid.”
The focus now shifts to Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes. Being a two-time Formula One race winner in his prime and a wealth of experience, Sainz will surely be a candidate himself. He is not, however, the only racer being considered.
Perhaps the early favorite is Alex Albon, who has had a fantastic career comeback with Williams. The connection between the British-Thai racer’s current team and Mercedes would probably make a move easier. The racer has drawn interest from a number of elite teams, including Ferrari, which was courting him before they signed Hamilton.
However, other drivers will also be considered, including Esteban Ocon, an Alpine racer, and Fernando Alonso. Mercedes could also decide to promote some of the younger drivers on its roster, such as reserve driver Mick Schumacher, Frederik Vesti, the runner-up in Formula 2 last year, and promising young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
